The Soccer Ball's Tune
by Saru-Butt
Summary: The stars were beautiful that night. It was the one thing he smiled at when remembering the night it had happened. He had been scared, but he couldn’t deny that there had been a since of unwavering anticipation of the adventure that was sure to come.
1. American Soccer Star?

The Soccer Ball's Tune

Chapter One

Alyse Minamoto

The stars were beautiful that night. It was the one thing he smiled at when remembering the night it had happened. He had been scared, but he couldn't deny that there had been a since of unwavering anticipation of the adventure that was sure to come.

"KAMIYA! KAMIYA, you get your ass back here right this instant!" People turned there heads, sighed, and went back to work. The short haired blond woman was often seen running through the building, screaming out curses like there would be no tomorrow. The cause? That was an easy guess.

"No way! Do you think I wanna' commit suicide?" The brunette ducked as the woman chucked her left high heeled shoe at his head with all the strength she could muster.

He was about to turn his head, stick out his tongue at her and insult her poor aim when he saw the senior vice president turn the corner... BAM! He and the woman both stopped short, and the entire hallway usually filled with chit chatting, keys being hit, papers printing, things falling and ruffling papers was uncannily silent. No body dared move, the main two characters of the scene didn't even dare to _breath _as the shoe, thank god the high heel had missed his face, fell and landed with a loud echoing clank on the tile floor.

His eyes had instinctively closed and now they slowly opened. He looked murderous.

"Ms. Smith, Mr. Kamiya." He said it like he was trying to contain his anger. His face was getting redder by the second.

"Yes, sir?" Ms. Smith said, looking positively scared out of her wits.

"My office. Now." He turned and started walking from the direction he came from. They followed, getting encouraging looks and thumbs-ups from the people who worked in the hall.

The man, or actually he could still be considered a boy, was named Taichi Kamiya. He was only 22 years old and already the vice-captain of the United States Soccer Team. The woman, Juliana Smith, was the teams manager.

As they entered the vice-presidents office their smiles frozen on their faces dropped and frightened looks came instead. Taichi blinked and said, "It wasn't my shoe ya' know." Pointing at his feet, indicating that he had in fact both his shoes on and neither of them were high-heels. He got a cold glare from Ms. Smith and simply smiled at her.

"You have a violent temper Smith-san. It's not my fault. Maybe you just shouldn't be our teams manager anymore. It's so sad that you're having to leave us. We-" He started to pretend he was weeping and was wiping his eyes with his fists and everything when he was interrupted.

"Kamiya." The vice-president said, rubbing his temples with his index fingers.

"Hai?"

"For one: Stop using that blasted Japanese language. We're in America. English is perfectly fine. For two: She's still your manager, as she's the only one besides your teammates who can actually deal with your hysterics without becoming hysterical themselves. For three: I have a punishment for you both."

"You mean more hysterical than she originally is, right?"

"Kamiya!" She glared at him.

"Nani? Smith-san no baka."

"I'M NOT A COW! ARE YOU SPEAKING SPANISH OR JAPANESE HERE?"

"Excuse me! You're punishment will arrive at 5 o' clock in the morning at each of your apartments. I expect you both to be wide awake, completely sober and ready for the horror of you lives. Now, get out of my office!" He pointed towards the door, "Now!"

"I wonder if we'd be better off getting drunk." Taichi said, grinning as he left the office.

"Even if we would be, you seem to have a problem with getting drunk. In fact," She turned around and looked at him questioningly, "I've never seen you drink before. I mean I know you've only been allowed to drink for a year and two months but really. You don't even drink at birthday parties." She'd closed her eyes and raised her head before that last sentence, as if trying to recall him ever drinking. When she brought her head back down and asked, "How come?" She noticed he wasn't there.

She turned her head all directions and then saw him talking with one of his teammates like he hadn't been listening to her at all. She sighed and thought, 'Whatever happened to him before he came here... I hope he gets over it.'

"Great… The horror was a photo-shoot. And interviews! No! I don' wanna' do it! Smith-san! Smith-san! Zachary! Michael! Jeremy! Help me! Terry! Travis! Alan!" He looked ridiculous. A big African man wearing a black suit and lifted him in the air and was holding onto him by the waist, walking into the building where he would get his photo-shoot taken. He was struggling, kicking, and waving his arms about while literally screaming for help! His teammates were not coming to his aid when he needed them but were actually following him while having huge grins on their faces.

"You deserve it Tai."

"Yeah Tai. You never take pics with us."

'Oh, those evil bastards...' Tai thought before he was rudely dropped into a chair and just before he could make his escape, at least 10 woman, all with frilly clothes and over done make-up, rushed over and started undressing him, dressing him, applying make-up to him and playing with his hair... His hair!

"No, no, no! No touchy the hair!"

"Oh, sorry!" That's right. No touchy when it comes to the hair. He had cut it a while back and had never, ever forgiven himself for it. He was so happy when it grew back. His hair was meant to be long and sticking out all over the place.

It took a few moments but he blinked himself out of his reverie after the woman stopped touching him. Now they were going, "Oh my god!", "He's so good looking.", "I wanna' marry him.", "Lucky girl whoever's got him around her fingers." and even just plain "Wow."

Taichi rolled his eyes. He had been rather popular in Japan, as he had been, well, him. But ever since he'd come to America every girl he'd met, besides Ms. Smith, had wanted to either sleep with him, eat him, mug him, or just plain stare at him until they learned how to sleep while still looking at him.

"Pictur' tim!" A loud voice yelled from the room next to the one he was in and he could already tell whoever it was had a really thick accent. Worse than his own.

"Nowz, coulds yooze goz ahead and loo'... loo'... shexie? Plays?" Everyone looked stupefied. What in gods name did he just say? Taichi unfortunately, had a guess what the guy wanted. He sighed, and complied.

He was wearing tight black pants, black dress shoes and a silky dark blue button up shirt. He undid the first three buttons and his team was yelling at him, "Ooh! You gonna' strip for us Tai? Oh, I'm gonna' feint. He's so hot." They were all exclaiming the same things and acting as if they'd gone weak in the knees but they all had huge grins on their faces and were trying to keep from laughing.

"Yeah yeah. Shut-up you guys." He laid down on the green carpet and laid his elbows on the ground, head resting on his fists. He smiled, and looked... Good enough to make the guys who were acting like they'd gone weak in the knees to actually lose their balance and fall, still staring at him.

"H-hey? You guys? Is it weird to see him like that? Or is it just me?" Zachary said, half upside down on the ground.

"I think it's weird."

"Yeah."

"Me too."

Taichi rolled his eyes again. He couldn't believe he actually called them friends. They were just way too strange for comfort. "As if I'd ever go for one of you anyway."

After several position and outfit changes Taichi was left sitting in a big blue chair with his red, white and blue soccer uniform on. It was interview time and the reporter people looked scary. His teammates each had their own seats and decided, "Okay, it's time for you to fuss up some answers Tai."

"Mr. Kamiya. You are one of the most sought after bachelors in all of New York and half the country. Is there a special girl who's caught your heart and tucked it away?"

Taichi smiled and shook his head, "Sorry but not quite."

"Sir, the inter-nationals are coming up and your suited to play against the Kyoto team of Japan, correct? How do you feel about going up against your own country?"

"A game is a game, right? Who cares who I'm going up against. Besides I'm in America, I'm playing for America and as far concerned right now I'm pure American."

"How is it you don't have an accent at all?"

"A gift, maybe?"

"How come you've never come out before to let us "Americans" be able to put a face and a personality with the ever popular name Taichi Kamiya."

"I just... don't like publicity."

"Mr. Kamiya, what are you looking for in a lover?"

Everyone paused, and waited for his answer.

"What do I look for in a lover? Blond hair, blue eyes, and damned good singing voice."

"That seems to be directed towards someone you know. Is it?"

He smiled. "Actually... It just might be."

w/ love

Alyse


	2. Buchou?

****

The Soccer Ball's Tune

Chapter Two

Alyse Minamoto

The stars were beautiful that night. It was the one thing he smiled at when remembering the night it had happened. He had been scared, but he couldn't deny that there had been a since of unwavering anticipation of the adventure that was sure to come.

He was cold. He was getting colder. Why was he colder? Why did he feel... wet? He had an idea. If he was correct there would be a very dead 25 year old wearing that #86 jersey. He opened his eyes and the three boys near him and his bed stopped dead and gulped before they ran.

"Zachary! Travis! Michael! You guys are so dead!" Taichi jumped up out of bed started chasing them around the hotel room he was staying in. It was huge and made of marble, silk and it was just breathtakingly beautiful... If you didn't have a soaking wet body that is.

"What did we do? It's not like it hurt you!" Zachary yelled, ducking as a wet pillow came flying at his face. It hit Michael instead.

"What was that for? Oh, you're going down Tai!" And with that a full-blown pillow fight started in. Some of the other members on the team heard the screaming as well and came to join in.

That was until his door opened and everyone froze. Some of their legs were suspended in air, while pillows just stayed at wherever they were touching some else's body. The captain had walked in.

"Since we're all so very energetic. Practice in the park nearby. Now. Jeremy get the balls. Zachary get the weights. Michael get the cones. Let's go. You don't need to get in your uniform. Wear what your wearing right now. That includes the soaking wet one over there." He looked at Taichi and shook his head. Then he left the room. Zachary hit Travis one last time before everyone left to the park or to get the things they were appointed to get. Taichi helped Zachary with the box filled with weights since they were a bit heavy.

When they got to the park they were told to put on 3 lb weights on each leg and the goalie needed 1 lb weights on each wrist as well. They started to practice.

Half way into the practice game Taichi was in control of the ball and he was weaving in and out of the practice cones as well as dodging the people with red belts. The captain, James Garner, had a red belt on. He came up and made a kick for the ball but Taichi stepped back. The weights however seemed to have slipped his mind and he fell forwards, right onto the captain.

"Taichi, You alright?" James asked looking up at Taichi. He noticed the light tinge of pink on his face and said, "Is it too cold out here? I won't have one of my players getting sick. Go get changed." Taichi nodded, getting to his feet.

He felt weird all the sudden. Like he was gonna' vomit or something. He wasn't steady on his feet at all, and began to sway back and forth. He almost fell but James took hold of his shoulders from behind and said, "You're already sick. Why didn't you say so before coming out to play? Idiot."

He yelled out to the guys who had all come up to see if Taichi was awake to continue playing. He was going to take Taichi back to his room, as he obviously wasn't feeling very good.

His head hurt and his mouth tasted absolutely disgusting. He remembered puking, while someone patted his back? He opened his eyes and saw that he was in his room. And James was sitting in an arm chair near his bed. The sky outside the window clearly said it was late and somehow he felt honored that the captain would stay here and help him. It couldn't even be called a feeling when compared to the mortification he felt when he realized he's just puked out everything in his system, in front of that so called captain.

Oh god, it just had to be the embarrassment of the century. Seriously.

Why had he been sick in the first place though? Last night they had gone to a party, they were forced to by one of his bosses because a government official had wanted to meet him. Either way he hadn't drunk any alcohol, just a few cokes.

Ahh... Coke, Party, Travis. Travis would unfortunately not make it to the inter-nationals after all. He would become one of those mysterious disappearances that fascinated him so much.

Taichi started to get up when a wave of nausea hit him and he ran to the bathroom a few feet away. He'd woken up James apparently since he came in yelling, "Taichi!" and started rubbing his back again.

"Gomen asai, buchou."

"Taichi... You're talking in Japanese again. I can't understand you."

"Go- Sorry." Taichi was about to translate what he'd said when he doubled over and had to vomit again.

"You either drank alot last night, which I doubt, or have a very low tolerance system. That I don't doubt. Funny thing is it seemed to delay a bit. You were fine this morning." He grinned and pulled Taichi to his feet, half carrying him back to his bed. "Sleep and I'll go get you some water. It'll help."

"Arigato, buchou."

James just smiled. At least he got the feeling of what he was saying. And he knew buchou meant captain. He had asked once, when Taichi would always call him that instead of James or Captain.

When he came back with the water however, Taichi had fallen fast asleep already. James found himself watching the younger boy by 6 years without even noticing that he'd put the cup down on the end table.

w/ love

Alyse


	3. Memories?

The Soccer Ball's Tune

Chapter Three

Alyse Minamoto  
  
The stars were beautiful that night. It was the one thing he smiled at when remembering the night it had happened. He had been scared, but he couldn't deny that there had been a since of unwavering anticipation of the adventure that was sure to come.  
  
Ugh... His head felt like a huge boulder had fallen on top of him and now he was feeling the aftershocks. He wanted to cringe, or shiver, or something! but didn't as he didn't think he'd enjoy the feeling of a spinning head. He'd only had a hang-over once before... back at a party when he was 16... with...  
  
"Yamato..." It was soft, a whisper that shouldn't have been able to be heard unless listening very closely.  
  
James looked at Taichi, eyes widening as he heard the boy say someone's name. Who was Yamato? Taichi had never mentioned him before. But then Taichi never spoke of his life before coming to America. It made him, the whole team wonder, and worry as well.  
  
"Taichi...? You awake? The water will help." He said, as Taichi peeked open an eye.  
  
"O-oh? Kami-sama... My head..." Taichi grimaced.  
  
James chuckled a bit.  
  
"Don't try to move unless you want another adventure in the bathroom. Here, drink." He took the glass of water, and slowly dipped it to Taichi's mouth, allowing him to drink some without having it all over him.  
  
"Eew..." Taichi muttered as he stopped drinking the water.  
  
"Hmm?"  
  
"My mouth tastes disgusting."  
  
James let out a full-fledged laugh.  
  
"Well, that's to be expected, or do you not remember you're nightly exertions in the bathroom? I'd think they'd be rather hard to forget."  
  
Taichi had to grin at that. Oh how he remembered throwing-up. It was a very bad memory. And he remembered Yamato laughing at him in the background, rubbing his back before tucking him into his own bed and snuggling up together.  
  
Taichi's eyes snapped open. He sat up faster than he would have thought possible. He was remembering things. Why on earth was he remembering things!? He had to calm down. Breath in, breath out. Breath in, breath out.  
  
"Taichi! Are you okay? You shouldn't move so fast."  
  
That's right. It was James with him last night, not Yamato. So how come all he remembered was Yamato's hands soothing him that night, and his breath, filled with the smell liquor, on his neck sending chills down his spine and to his libido.  
  
Taichi shut his eyes tight. He didn't want to remember that. He didn't want to remember Yamato. He didn't want to remember anything! So why couldn't he stop? Every night he'd dream of him and it was Yamato thought of when someone asked if he had a sweetheart.  
  
Every game he'd ever played the remembrance of Yamato's smiles and good lucks were the things that crossed his mind as he made the winning goal or even the pass right before a teammate made it.  
  
It was because of Yamato that he'd won so many games. But it was also because of Yamato that he'd... No! He wasn't going to think about it! He wouldn't!  
  
Taichi clutched his ears and pushed into his head, trying to stifle his own thoughts. This was why he never drank. Drinking reminded him of Yamato. It broke down his barriers he worked so hard to put up, and allowed the memories to come in, unfiltered and unmoderated  
  
"Taichi! Taichi! Are you okay!?" He could hear James frantically spinning questions at him, but didn't care enough to respond. All he wanted was for those goddamned memories to leave him alone!  
  
"Urusai! Urusai!" Why wouldn't they shut up? Why wouldn't they be quiet? Did they enjoy torturing him? He wouldn't have thought memories to enjoy that sort of thing but he believed it very much right then. They just wouldn't go away!  
  
The warmth of skin against skin, hard breathing, moans and gasping.  
  
The slow hush and mumble against his naked throat, "Taichi..."  
  
No! No! No! He wouldn't relive it! He wouldn't! He couldn't! Not that moment, when he felt most vulnerable to that blond-hared boy. Not that memory. Not any memory! None! Memories of his friends and family just needed to disappear!  
  
They hurt too much...  
  
W/ love

Alyse


	4. I wouldn't recomend reading this

Where did you go?   
  
Chapter Four – Taichi Yagami  
  
Alyse...  
  
"L-Let's g-go to America, alright guys?"  
  
Jin and Kureno just smiled, "We'll tell the guys to pack up. Haljujah! We're gonna' see the beautiful Liberty-sama... Does she have real fire? That's so cool... Really... Awesome... Hey, Did you know..."  
  
Their voices drifted out as they left the room. Yamato wasn't going to move any time soon. He was still looking at the magazine.  
  
Chapter Two   
  
"KAMIYA! WHERE ARE YOU?" Mrs. Smith was screaming around the building for him, which was also a usual occurrence.  
  
Taichi tried slipping into the teams locker rooms before she grabbed him at his neck and pulled him away into her office,  
  
"Ahh! Help me! She's gonna' do weird things to me again! Help! Somebody! Help!" Everyone else was in the back ground. 'What kind of weird things...?'  
  
"You all want me to die, don't y-" He stopped short, making the woman blink and look at where he was staring.  
  
He pulled away from her grasp easily and started walking up to him.  
  
"Ishida Yamato... What's a Japanese Pop star doing here in America? Well, in any case... It's nice to meet you. I'm the captain of the USA Soccer Team, Taichi Kamiya." He held out his hand with a smile on his face.  
  
Everyone in the building was looking at him strangely. He never acted like that before...  
  
Yamato just looked at him without any emotion on his face. Then he spoke in a low tone that everyone strained to hear, except Taichi.  
  
"Tai... Yagami... Your name is Tai Yagami!"  
  
Chapter Four – Taichi Yagami  
  
W/ love Alyse 


End file.
